The present invention relates to computer systems in general, and in particular to web browser computer programs for the Internet, LAN, or similar networks.
As computers having the ability to connect to global wide area computer networks, such as the Internet, are becoming more common, many companies are using such networks as a sales and support tool. Customers or clients can access a company""s Internet or World Wide Web site using a web browser program and view sales or service information, while simultaneously talking to a sales or service representative. The representative, who is also connected to the company""s web site, can direct the customer to information that is pertinent to their needs.
In order to facilitate the flow of information between a company representative and a customer, it is important that the sales or service representative and customer be viewing the same web page. If it is known that the customer is connected to the company""s web site, then it is easy for the representative to get the customer to download information from a specific web page. Alternatively, customers having web browser programs with xe2x80x9cpushxe2x80x9d capability can receive information at the direction of the representative even when their browser application is not connected to the source web site. Neither solution has proved entirely acceptable. First, it cannot always be guaranteed that a customer""s browser will be connected to a company""s web site when the representative wishes to download information to the customer. Therefore, the sales or service representative must ask the user to type in the address of the web site having the information that the user desires. This process is not only time consuming but is prone to error (and thus cost prohibitive). Secondly, not all customers are equipped with web browser programs having push capability.
Given the shortcomings in the prior art, there is a need for a method of allowing a sales or service representative to have control over the information that is presented to a customer""s web browser program without additional interaction from the customer, regardless of whether the customer""s browser is currently connected to the company""s web site or without requiring the use of web browser programs having push capability.
The present invention is a method for allowing a remotely-located user to control the information that is displayed on a customer""s browser program. When a customer logs into a company""s web site, JAVA(trademark) applet is downloaded from the web site to the customer""s browser program. The applet maintains an IP connection between the browser program and a push server. When the remote user desires to download a new web page to the browser program, the push server transmits a web address of this web page to the applet. The applet receives the address and forwards it to the browser program which downloads the new page.
In particular, the present invention allows the sales or service representative to assume control over the user""s browser program. Each time the representative desires to download a new web page to the customer, the remote user selects a xe2x80x9cfollow mexe2x80x9d control which causes the push server to transmit a web address to the applet.
The present invention therefore simulates push techniques using only a JAVA-compatible web browser program and the JAVA applet.